NBA Power Rankings: Heat get back into top 3 as All-Star break nears

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (41-12; last week's ranking: 1): West All-Star coach Scott Brooks must choose a player to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup. Likely choice: James Harden.

Indiana

2. Indiana Pacers (39-11; last week's ranking: 2): New center Andrew Bynum is expected to debut after the All-Star break, a source said.

Miami

3. Miami Heat (35-14; last week's ranking: 5): Poor Heat vendors. A team-record 19 days will pass between Miami's last home game against Detroit and the next one against Chicago on Feb. 23.

Los Angeles

4. Los Angeles Clippers (36-18; last week's ranking: 4): As of late, Blake Griffin is playing the best ball of his career. An improved Griffin with a returned Chris Paul makes the Clippers scary post-All-Star break.

San Antonio

5. San Antonio Spurs (37-14; last week's ranking: 6): All-Star break comes just in time for the injury-plagued Spurs to heal. Starters Kawhi Leonard and Manu Ginobili are still out.

Portland

6. Portland Trail Blazers (36-15; last week's ranking: 3): Prior to taking part in five All-Star events, first-time All-Star Damian Lillard has to face the Thunder on Tuesday and the Clippers on Wednesday.

Houston

7. Houston Rockets (34-17; last week's ranking: 7): The Rockets can set a season-high six-game win streak by beating Minnesota on Monday. Houston is averaging 108.6 points the past five games.

Phoenix

8. Phoenix Suns (30-20; last week's ranking: 8): Are the Suns elite? Goran Dragic and the Suns have a chance for a statement win when the Heat come to Phoenix on Tuesday.

Golden State

9. Golden State Warriors (30-21; last week's ranking: 9): Keep an eye on nervous Golden State as the trade deadline arrives. They're 10-8 since the start of 2014.

Dallas

10. Dallas Mavericks (31-21; last week's ranking: 11): Dirk Nowitzi's 38-point, 17-rebound game against Houston on Jan. 29 was his first 30-point, 10-rebound game of the season and 108th of career.

12. Toronto Raptors (26-24; last week's ranking: 13): The Raptors play eight of their next 10 at home. Toronto, who hosts New Orleans on Monday, is 7-2 at home this year.

Atlanta

13. Atlanta Hawks (25-25; last week's ranking: 12): Although Toronto's DeMar DeRozan is rarely shown on TV in the States, the least-heralded All-Star on Sunday is likely Atlanta's Paul Millsap.

Chicago

14. Chicago Bulls (25-25; last week's ranking: 15): Don't be surprised if Derrick Rose next plays again in USA Basketball's training camp for the World Cup this summer.

Washington

15. Washington Wizards (25-25; last week's ranking: 16): Washington will try to acquire a backup point guard before the trade deadline, a source said, but isn't optimistic the Wizards can make such a move.

Denver

16. Denver Nuggets (24-25; last week's ranking: 17): The Nuggets will be one of the teams to watch as the trade deadline approaches with veteran point guard Andre Miller still waiting to be dealt.

Minnesota

17. Minnesota Timberwolves (24-27; last week's ranking: 14): While the Wolves' brass is doing their due diligence, they are more worried about improving the defense than making a trade deadline move.

Brooklyn

18. Brooklyn Nets (23-26; last week's ranking: 18): Coach Jason Kidd can rest easy during All-Star weekend after recovering from a bad start to earn East Coach of the Month honors for January.

New Orleans

19. New Orleans Pelicans (22-28; last week's ranking: 19): D-League leading scorer Pierre Jackson, rights owned by the Pelicans, will play in the D-League All-Star Game in New Orleans on Saturday.

Detroit

20. Detroit Pistons (21-29; last week's ranking: 22): Interim coach John Loyer has never been a head coach before, but has been an assistant with Detroit, New Jersey and Philadelphia.